When the Clock Tolls
by marcuskanesfanclub
Summary: The BAU heads to the small town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, to investigate the murder of Alison DiLaurentis. While they infiltrate the lives of Alison's four closest friends, the BAU races against time to catch the unsub who may prove to be the most dangerous of all: A.
1. An ArrivAl in Rosewood

**Takes place during season 5 of Criminal Minds and season 1 of Pretty Little Liars. *Haley has not died yet.**

 **Enjoy!**

Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner gently eased the black SUV he was commanding to a slow stop just in front of a church. To his right, SSA Rossi was looking out of the tinted window at the solemn congregation of mourners that had flooded the lawn. Glancing in his mirror, Hotch spied Dr. Reid and Agent Jareau examining the scene in front of them.

Turning off the engine, Hotch slid out of the car and prowled towards a young, lanky man with slightly protruding ears and piercing blue eyes. Jennifer Jareau quickly matched her step to Hotch's, her blonde hair bouncing slightly with her step. The beautiful blond took the lead and shook hands with the young man.

"Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, Media and Communications Liaison. You must be Detective Wilden," Jareau, otherwise known as JJ, said briskly, shaking the man's hand firmly. "These are SSAs David Rossi and Aaron Hotchner, and Dr. Spencer Reid."

"Thank you for coming out here, Special Agent Jareau. It's been a challenging few days," Detective Wilden said, his tone taking an air of nonchalance. He lifted his chin slightly, clenching his jaw. Wilden shoved his hands in his pockets after exchanging firm handshakes with the rest of the agents.

"So we've heard," Rossi said grimly, surveying the scene around him. He spotted many grieving attendees huddled in circles around the church, but contrary to his first glance, they didn't appear to be crying. In fact, they seemed disinterested. As if the young girl's funeral was nothing more than a social gathering.

Slowly, the door to the church opened. Four girls exited. They, like their fellow guests, looked disinterested. A stunning blonde was walking arm in arm with a small, petite, dark haired beauty with a peaches and cream complexion. A tall, gorgeous tan girl with deep black hair waving down her back was clutching the arm of her friend, who was of average height, with a slender build and a pretty face.

"Are those the girls?" Hotch asked, watching them as they breezed down the sidewalk to a tree on the corner, not noticing Wilden and the agents.

"Yes," Wilden said, his voice low with poorly hidden disgust. He began to stride away towards the four girls, who were about to cross the street. The agents followed closely behind. Rossi and Hotch exchanged a look, and both eyed the detective closely. Wilden's tense shoulders and clenched fists raised the agents' curiosities.

"Emily, Spencer, Aria, and Hanna," Wilden announced, stopping the group in its tracks. "Do you know who I am?" The young girls shook their heads, looking confused and slightly worried.

"I'm Detective Wilden, and these are SSAs Jareau, Hotchner, Rossi, and Dr. Reid from the FBI," Wilden said coldly. The girls' eyes widened. "Some of the agents will be residing with you at your homes while we conduct the investigation into Alison DiLaurentis's murder."

"What?!" The blonde exclaimed, her fiery dark blue eyes surveying the agents in front of her.

"Hanna," The petite brunette whispered, pinching her. Hanna shook off her friend, hissing slightly through clenched teeth.

"We already gave our statements to the police when Ali disappeared," the pale girl with a slender shape and mousy brown hair said guardedly, her chocolate eyes locked on Wilden.

"That was before your friend turned up dead, Spencer," Detective Wilden said coldly. Spencer flinched, looking down at the ground. Hotch swallowed, irritation overpowering him. This detective had no tact or respect, but unfortunately, Hotch's team wasn't here to evaluate the skills of the Rosewood Police Department.

"I've already spoken to your parents before the funeral. They've agreed to let the agents stay with you. This is strictly for your protection and to help us gather information that you may have forgotten to include in your statements," Wilden said sharply, eying Hanna. She glared at him, her steely blue gaze throwing daggers at the detective.

"But we wouldn't have forgetten anything," the tan girl with Asian features and shining hair reminiscent of a raven's wing protested, her delicate eyebrows knitted together in an expression of concern.

"You might have," Wilden snapped. "If you don't mind, I'll escort you to the station." He gestured to the group of girls and they followed him slowly to his car, eyeing the agents as they walked past. Their heels clicked on the ground, and as they walked, a symphony of buzzing, vibration, and twinkly ringtones filled the air. The girls stopped sharply, and as they looked at their cell phones, their posture changed. They glanced around furtively as they shoved their cell phones back in their purses.

"I've got all day, ladies," Wilden said sarcastically, waiting by his car. Emily, Aria, Spencer and Hanna quickly hurried towards the sedan, not speaking to each other. They slid into the seats of the car, and Wilden revved the engine as they zoomed off towards the police station.

"That was odd," Reid said simply, glancing over his shoulder.

"Definitely. Something more is going on here," Rossi agreed, his eyes squinting slightly as he looked around at the remaining mourners. JJ nodded, staring at the fallen leaves that had been disturbed by the Detective's sharp departure. Shades of orange, red, and yellow spiraled through the sky.

"We should get to the station. Morgan and Prentiss should be heading back from the dump site," Hotch said briskly, breaking JJ from her reverie. As they strode back to the SUV, JJ looked around again. Something definitely was odd. And her team was going to find out what was going on.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"So they found her under the gazebo?" Special Agent Prentiss asked, crouching down to look at the dirt.

"Yep. She had been under for about a year. The new owners found her," Special Agent Morgan clarified, looking around the backyard. The green grass, slowly beginning to fade to an unappealing light brown, was manicured and freshly installed hedges lined the lawn. Apart from the discovery of Alison's body, there was nothing odd about the house or its surroundings.

"Hey, do you guys want brownies?" Prentiss and Morgan looked up to see a pretty teenage girl with dark skin, sparkling brown eyes, and a cheeky grin holding a heaping platter of brownies. "I promise there's no pot in them," she joked, her bracelets jangling.

"Uh, no thank you, I'm fine," Prentiss said, looking the girl up and down appraisingly.

"Sure, why not," Morgan said, reaching forward and taking one. "Do you live here?"

The girl smiled grimly. "Yeah. I'm Maya, by the way. I just moved in."

"So you're new to the area?" Prentiss inquired, looking at the house in front of her.

"Yeah, totally new. Barely know anyone, except for the dead girl I guess," Maya chuckled softly. "So are you guys Feds or something?" She asked, leaning against the wall.

"We're from the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI," Morgan responded, taking a bite of the brownie. It was surprisingly good. "Did you make these?"

Maya laughed. "Yeah. I make a lot of brownies," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"They're good. Bet you regret not getting one now, Prentiss," Morgan said grinning, finishing off the brownie.

Prentiss ignored Morgan's teasing comment, and addressed the charismatic girl."It was a pleasure to meet you, Maya, but we have to get back to work."

"No problem. You guys know where to find me!" Maya said brightly, bounding away and turning the corner.

"Don't think we can get much out of her," Prentiss said dismissively, surveying the scene again. She bent down and sifted through the dirt, scanning the ground for more clues.

"I wouldn't discount her so easily. She's the same age as the girls. She might be able to get us some information," Morgan said, glancing back at the house. "See anything?"

"There isn't much left here. Let's get back the station," Prentiss said, sighing as she trekked back across the broken earth. Morgan followed her, glancing once again at the old house.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"Morgan, Prentiss. This is Detective Wilden, the head detective on the case," JJ announced, introducing the two agents to the detective.

"Hello, SSAs Prentiss and Morgan." Detective Wilden extended a hand to both agents, appraising them as he looked them up and down.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Prentiss said. Morgan nodded politely.

Wilden cleared his throat and gestured for the team to follow as he entered a room with the requested white board and circular table. After the BAU had gotten situated, Wilden walked around the table, flipping through four files he had in his hand. He threw one down on the table.

"Hanna Marin," Wilden said, putting the remaining files on a side table. "Used to be a self-conscious, insecure servant for Alison. Now, the popular mean girl who went through a complete transformation. And I mean complete transformation," Wilden chuckled, glancing at a picture of ninth grade Hanna that Rossi had pulled out of the file. "Her father left her and her mother, so she's been without a father figure for a few years. She has her fair share of issues, least to say. Agent Hotchner, I believe that you offered to watch over Hanna?"

"Yes," Hotch responded. He was beginning to regret his decision now, after witnessing the blonde's fiery attitude.

"Have fun," Wilden chuckled grimly, tossing another file onto the table.

"Spencer Hastings. Now this is an interesting one. She was born into a well-known family with a shining reputation and lots of money to spare. She was considered Alison's right hand man. As a stellar student with lots of extracurriculars, she feels a lot of pressure from her parents to maintain her image. Special Agent Prentiss, I believe you were assigned to her?"

Emily Prentiss nodded. "Yes," she responded, skimming through her file. "She was considered a suspect?"

"She still is," Wilden corrected. Prentiss raised her eyebrows as she looked through Spencer's file, skimming over her academic achievements and her interrogation transcript.

"SSA Morgan, this is your assignment. Emily Fields, a star athlete who's relying on a scholarship to get her into a good college. Not much to hide, her father is stationed in Texas, so that's taking a toll on the home life, I presume," Wilden said nonchalantly. Morgan tensed as he thumbed through her thin file. The detective was already getting under his skin with his snide comments.

"And finally, Aria Montgomery. Her family left the United States after Alison DiLaurentis disappeared. They stayed in Iceland for a year, and they just got back this month. She's the oddball in the group. She went through many phases before the abduction, as she was obviously unsure of her identity. Special Agent Rossi, I believe she's under your charge." Wilden finished, handing Rossi the file. Rossi thumbed through numerous pictures of Aria, finally stopping on a recent one taken in Iceland. He briefly wondered how Wilden had gotten these pictures.

"Any questions?" Wilden asked the group. The team looked up, and shook their heads.

"Alright, the girls are in the next room over. Do whatever you need to do to get information from them. Let me know if you have any questions," Wilden said, opening the door and striding away. Morgan glared at the Wilden's back for a second before standing up.

"Well, let's get this over with," Morgan muttered, opening the door into the room next to them. As the team walked in, the four girls seated on the couch immediately turned away from each other. Aria and Emily watched the floor carefully, while Hanna inspected a painting on the wall. Only Spencer watched the agents enter, her calm countenance and her intelligent eyes scanning the group before her.

"I'm Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, but you can call me JJ," the blonde liaison said, watching the girls carefully. They didn't respond.

"You have all been assigned an agent to protect you at all times. What happened to your friend Alison may not be a one time occurrence and her killer may target you next," JJ informed them gently. There was no reaction from the girls. JJ glanced at Hotch, looking for him to take over.

"Aria, you'll be with SSA Rossi," Hotch said, glancing at the Italian agent. Rossi stepped forward to shake Aria's hand, his demeanor uncharacteristically kind and gentle. Aria stood up, and gently shook his hand, her smile not extending to her eyes.

"Nice to meet you, SSA Rossi," Aria said quietly, glancing at the agent. He smiled at her.

"You can just call me Rossi," he said softly. Aria smiled hesitantly, and sat back down.

"Emily, SSA Morgan will be watching over you."

Morgan stepped forward. The tall and statuesque tan beauty shook his hand firmly, smiling slightly.

"Hey, you can just call me Derek if you want," Morgan said, grinning. Emily nodded awkwardly, quickly sitting back down. She clasped her hands in her lap and watched Morgan out of the corner of her eye.

"Spencer, SSA Prentiss will be with you," Hotch said, watching as the slender girl stood up, looking Prentiss directly in the eye.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Spencer said calmly, shaking Prentiss's hand with a strong grip. Prentiss immediately knew that Spencer liked to be in charge, and didn't let her emotions show easily.

"The pleasure's all mine, Spencer," Prentiss said evenly, staring the girl down. As soon as Spencer retreated back to the couch, Hotch looked up to see the one remaining girl looking skeptically over the remaining agents.

"Hanna, you'll be with me. I'm SSA Hotchner. You're free to call me Hotch."

Hanna's eyes opened in disbelief as she looked at the grim agent. She huffed as she stood up, and she stalked over to the agent and shook his hand quickly. Hanna whirled back around and sat down on the leather couch, arms crossed, glaring at the wall.

"Dr. Reid and I will be staying at the station, but we'll be checking up on you all. You're all free to go home." JJ watched as the four girls stood up and walked out of the room, Hanna and Spencer leading the pack.

"Have fun," Reid murmured quietly as his teammates left the room. He wondered what was in store for them. He had a feeling of dread, like worse things were to come. Reid looked away from the retreating backs of Rossi, Prentiss, Morgan, and Hotch. He hoped he was wrong.

 **R &R, please!**


	2. PAstA, Psychology, and Phone CAlls

**Thanks for all of the reviews! ahowell1993: Reid is using crutches, there will be more about him later! :-)**

 **R &R!**

Morgan followed Emily out the front door. She slowed down so that he could catch up. Just in front of her, Emily could see Hanna stalking to her mother's car, Agent Hotchner following five feet behind. Emily glanced to her left and saw Aria and Agent Rossi veering away toward Mr. Montgomery's sedan.

"So, um, you can take shotgun," Emily said, flashing a glance at Morgan. He smiled.

"You sure?" Morgan asked, running down the steps after Emily. She certainly was athletic.

"Yeah, it's fine," Emily said quickly, hopping in the backseat of the car. Morgan quickly slid into the passenger seat.

"You must be Mrs. Fields," Morgan surmised, greeting the tan, middle aged woman. She smiled and extended her hand, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yes. And you're SSA Morgan, I presume?"

"That's right, ma'am," Morgan answered.

"Well, we're having tilapia for dinner tonight, Agent Morgan, if that's alright with you," Mrs. Fields said as she pulled out of the police station. A blur of brick buildings and signs whizzed by him as they coasted through the downtown district.

"That's great, Mrs. Fields. You can call me Derek, if you want," Morgan replied, smiling. He glanced over his shoulder at Emily, who was staring out the window.

"Okay, Derek, if you'll call me Pam," Mrs. Fields laughed, slowing down and executing a turn onto a quiet street. They passed several quaint houses before they stopped before a cheery pale dove gray house with a beautiful front porch.

"Your house is lovely," Morgan said, gazing at the front lawn. He hadn't had the luxury of such a cookie cutter life when he was young.

"Thanks," said Emily quietly. She had popped up next to the agent. Emily watched him carefully. He turned to face her, and she quickly looked away. He was definitely cute, she thought. But not your type, a small voice in the back of her head whispered. She tried to ignore it.

"So, who's ready for some fish?" Mrs. Fields inquired brightly, walking towards the door. Emily followed quickly. Morgan walked after them slowly, thinking about his interactions with Emily. Something was off about Rosewood, and he was intent on discovering the town's dirty secrets.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

Clink.

"This is delicious pasta, Mr. Montgomery," Rossi said appreciatively, setting down his fork. The Montgomery family had cooked an authentic Italian dinner, insisting on doing so after they learned of Rossi's Italian ancestry.

"Well, thank you, Dave. We've had lots of practice. We visited Italy for three weeks two years ago, and learned a lot about the local cuisine," Mr. Montgomery replied, glancing at Aria. "Aria loved Italy."

Aria nodded, looking down at her sparsely touched spaghetti.

"Where did you go?" Rossi asked, dunking a piece of garlic bread in olive oil.

"Everywhere. Florence was my favorite, though," Aria responded, looking up from her plate for the first time all dinner.

Rossi grinned. "Did you see the Galleria dell'Accademia?"

Aria's face lit up. "Oh my gosh. Michaelangelo's David was incredible. The detail on his sculpture was something I'd never seen before," Aria gushed.

"Aria loves pottery. She's thinking about taking a class at Hollis," Mrs. Montgomery added. Aria blushed, twirling spaghetti around her fork. Rossi glanced at her hand, which seemed to be fidgeting nervously. Aria's fingers drummed against the table, tapping out an unrecognizable tune.

"That's a great idea," Rossi said, smiling. Aria returned it, but her initial friendliness had disappeared.

"Unfortunately we don't have any dessert prepared, Dave, but if you want some ice cream, we have some," Mr. Montgomery offered. Dave shook his head.

"I'm all set. It was a lovely dinner."

"Well, Byron and I have to head out to catch the last of Mike's game. It was a pleasure meeting you, Dave. We'll be back within a few hours," Mrs. Montgomery said, rising from the table. "Aria, do you mind doing the dishes?"

Aria shook her head. "Nope."

"Thanks. See you when we get back, honey," Mr. Montgomery said, kissing the top of Aria's head. She visibly stiffened and clutched her fork.

"Bye," Aria responded curtly, leaning out of her father's reach and picking up her plate. Mr. Montgomery's jaw clenched as he walked away without a word, following his wife. Rossi scrutinized Aria as he stood up as well. He heard the front door slam as he began to clear his space.

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that!" Aria exclaimed, looking at Rossi in surprise.

"When I was young, the whole family chipped in with the dishes," Rossi replied, smiling. He followed Aria into the kitchen, and she turned on the faucet.

"We usually do, but ever since we got back from Iceland, we've been really busy," Aria said briskly, scrubbing her plate with an unusual aggressiveness. Rossi noticed and watched her body language carefully.

"What was so different in Iceland?"

Aria looked up suddenly, glancing at Rossi. He was leaning back against the counter, and he passed her another plate.

"Well, it was just us, so we were forced to spend a lot of time together. And we weren't in Rosewood, so...it was easier," Aria answered, drifting off.

Rossi's brow furrowed as he noticed that Aria's scrubbing had gotten fiercer.

"Because Alison had gone missing?"

"Yeah," Aria said curtly. She slid the dish onto the counter, and faced Rossi. "I'm going to go grab a book, okay?"

"Sure," Rossi said, trying to hide his surprise at Aria's sudden shift in attitude. He watched as Aria walked up the stairs, and braced himself for a tough few days. Aria wasn't going to give up information easily.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"I need to do some homework, so I guess you're free to do whatever you want," Spencer said sharply, slamming the refrigerator door. Prentiss jumped slightly. Spencer's intense attitude was starting to unnerve her. Prentiss decided to try and defrost Spencer's icy exterior.

"What classes do you take?" Prentiss asked, sitting down on a stool at the island. Spencer offered her a bottle of sparkling water, and Prentiss took it wordlessly.

"AP European History, English Literature, AP Chemistry, Psychology, AP Calculus, and French III," Spencer responded briskly, opening up her laptop.

"Tough classes."

Spencer looked at Prentiss as she typed. "Not that tough."

"Which one's your favorite?" Prentiss asked, taking a gulp of the sparkling lime water.

"European History," Spencer said, rapidly typing as she glanced at Prentiss.

"Nice," Prentiss said, watching Spencer carefully. The young girl ignored her as she fiddled in her bag and pulled out a massive textbook. Spencer flipped through the pages and began to read.

"What class are you working on?"

Slam. Spencer shut her book, glaring at Prentiss with now undisguised dislike.

"I was working on Psychology. It doesn't seem like I'll be getting much work done, so what do you want?"

Prentiss arched an dark eyebrow. Spencer didn't look away from the calm agent.

"Detective Wilden said that you're still a suspect," Prentiss responded, gauging Spencer's reaction. The girl looked down at her closed textbook.

"He also said that you're a stellar student who's the captain of the field hockey team and involved in nearly every club and committee. So what I want to know is why Wilden still thinks you're a suspect," Prentiss continued.

Spencer glared at her. "How am I supposed to know what the police think? If you're really that interested, why don't you ask Wilden?"

"There's no need to be hostile, Spencer," Prentiss said carefully. She took another sip of water.

"Agent Prentiss, I don't mean to insult you, but I really have to get some work done. Your room is second on the left. Mine is right next to it. If you need anything, just ask," Spencer said rapidly. She picked up her book, bag, and laptop, and ran up the stairs, leaving Emily alone in the kitchen. Emily spun the cap of her lime water on the stone, watching it go around and around, like a globe, until it came to a dramatic stop, falling onto its side with small clink, trembling for a few seconds before it fell silent and unmoving.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"So, your room is right here. I'll be in the room right next to you if you need me," Hanna said grumpily. Hotch placed his small black bag on the gray bed and turned around to thank Hanna. The young girl looked irritated, and she avoided Hotch's gaze.

"Thank you. Have a nice night, Hanna," Hotch said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. Hanna nodded and left the room immediately. Hotch sighed. He had tried all night to initiate friendly conversation, but Hanna had avoided all contact.

He stood up, closed the door, and called Dave, wanting to know about how much progress he had made with Aria.

"Hey, Aaron."

"Hey, Dave. How did things go with Aria?" Hotch always dropped his standard professionalism with Dave when he wasn't in front of the others.

"Not too well. She's been avoiding me ever since I started asking her about Alison. Listen, I'm going to go check up on her again. I'll let you know if anything changes, Aaron."

"Don't worry about it. I'll meet you at the school tomorrow," Hotch replied. With a click, he ended the call, and went back to his bag, rummaging through it. After pulling out his toothbrush and toothpaste, he exited the room.

"...I don't KNOW, Aria, but they're definitely trying to find out stuff...yeah...no...calm down, he's probably just trying to spook you... Wait, that's the second time he's walked past your door in half an hour?...no, I don't know what this Hotch guy is thinking...yeah, I did get the text. No, I wouldn't tell him anything! Jeez, Aria! I'm not that stupid...okay, I'll talk to you in the morning...yeah, bye."

Hotch had stopped just outside of Hanna's room and had held his breath as he listened to the fiery blonde converse with her friend. He heard her throw her phone onto her bed, and suddenly her footsteps were becoming louder. Hotch froze, and backed up a few steps, pretending to just close his door. Hanna stalked out of her room and stopped when she saw Hotch.

"You can go first," she said, leaning against the wall. She avoided Hotch's gaze yet again.

"It's fine, it's your house," Hotch said gently. Hanna seemed tense, and he could tell that something was taking a toll on her.

"Fine. Whatever," Hanna said, walking towards the bathroom. The door slammed behind her.

Hotch sighed, and looked at the door to Hanna's bedroom. He briefly considered going inside, but he paused. Staying in Hanna's house and sharing her life was one thing, but invading her privacy further was too much. It would be better for him to wait to search for more information until she would willingly give him information.

Hanna emerged from the bathroom, glanced at Hotch, and began to close the door to her bedroom as Hotch walked past.

"Goodnight, Agent Hotchner," Hanna said quietly.

"You can call me Hotch, Hanna," Hotch said, smiling.

"Hotch it is," Hanna said her voice carrying a tone of resignation. She closed the door, wondering what the morning would bring.

 **Please Review!**


	3. GlAss Cuts, and So Do I

**Hello! Back with a little (or not so little) installment. Enjoy, and review!**

"Morning, Morgan," Prentiss said, stifling a yawn. Her hair was slightly messy, and her shirt was a little rumpled.

"Morning? What are you talking about, girl? It's lunchtime," Morgan laughed, jabbing a plastic spoon into a bowl of soggy mandarin oranges.

"This doesn't really qualify as lunch," Rossi muttered, throwing down his fork. "I don't know how they can eat this stuff."

"They don't even appear to be eating," Prentiss said, eyeing the girls. "They're just talking."

"What's so important?" Morgan asked, picking up a carrot, looking at it, and then dropping it back down on the tray. The bustling cafeteria was loud with laughter and jargon, but all of the students seemed to be watching the four girls.

"I heard Hanna talking on the phone last night to Aria," Hotch mentioned. He had taken three bites of his tuna melt and then discarded it on the tray. "They were talking about a text message that they both received."

"That's odd. Why would they both get the same one?" Prentiss asked, sounding confused.

Hotch glanced over at the girls. "I'm not sure, but Hanna seemed on edge."

"They all did," Rossi added. With a final sigh he shoved his tray away from him.

Click. Click. Click.

The agents turned to see a girl with shining deep brown hair, large sunglasses, and a smirk walking across the cafeteria, arm in arm with a tall boy. Her cane was stretched out in front of her, tapping the ground as she walked. As the girl passed the agents, they turned to see Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Spencer all freeze. They shut up like clams as the blind girl slowed down, beginning to move near their table. The girls watched her carefully as she sat down.

"Hey, Jenna," Aria said, her voice strained and tight. She looked away from the blind girl and locked gazes with Emily.

"Hello Aria," Jenna said, unscrewing the cap to her orange juice. Her mouth was plastered into a permanent smirk. The agents watched the table warily. The tension tingling in the air was obvious. Prentiss set down her water as the girls began to talk.

"I didn't know you'd be back today," Spencer said guardedly. Jenna smiled. It wasn't a particularly friendly smile; it reminded Prentiss of a cat looking at a mouse.

"Well, miracles do happen, Spencer. You know that, don't you?" Jenna responded. Spencer's shoulders tensed as she stared at Jenna.

Jenna smiled, fiddling with the cap of her orange juice. She spun it around on the table until it whirled towards Aria, who handed it back to her.

"What happened to you girls? You used to be the fun table," Jenna said sneeringly. The girls all looked down at the table.

Ding. Buzz.

The four girls looked down at their phones, and immediately looked at each other, their eyes wide.

"What's going on over there?" Prentiss asked. She was watching the interaction intently.

Rossi shook his head. "I'm not sure," he replied, sounding puzzled.

They glanced back at the table to see Jenna stand up. The tall boy walked over to escort her out. He watched Emily intently as they walked away, his stare unnerving.

The girls immediately stood up and walked over to the trash can to dump their trays. The agents followed them, discarding their tuna melts, oranges, and carrot sticks.

"I don't know how you guys eat that," Morgan said as he flicked a carrot into the trash.

Spencer glanced at him, her mouth quirking up into a sly grin. "You just have to know what avoid. Like the tuna melt."

"Who was that that you were talking to?" Morgan asked conversationally, following Spencer as she tossed her water bottle in the recycling bin.

"Jenna," Spencer said. "She's been absent for a few months."

"You guys friends?" Inquired Morgan. Spencer glanced at him.

"No."

Morgan dropped the conversation as Spencer hurried to catch up with her friends.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"So you have swim practice, right?" Morgan asked as he followed Emily down the crowded and bustling hall after school.

"Yep," Emily said despondently. The tall boy that had been escorting Jenna came around the corner and bumped into Emily, knocking her into a locker.

"I'm sorry," the boy said, staring at Emily. His eyes raked over her body for a second too long, and Emily blushed.

"It's fine, Toby."

Morgan stared down the boy as he cast one more eerie look at Emily, locked gazes with Morgan, and walked away.

"Do you know him?" Morgan asked, trying to make his voice sound light.

"Not personally, no," Emily replied, making a sharp left and going down a flight of stairs. Morgan immediately inhaled the smell of chlorine, and wrinkled his nose. He had never liked pools, or water, since he was a teen.

"Emily!"

Morgan turned around to see Maya, the boisterous girl he had met yesterday at the DiLaurentis's old house.

"Oh, hi, Agent Morgan," Maya said bashfully.

Morgan grinned. "Hey, Maya."

Emily paused, looking confused. "You two know each other?"

"Yeah, we met yesterday when they were checking out the gazebo," Maya answered. "Agent Morgan, do you mind if I talk to Emily alone?"

Morgan paused. "That's not a problem. I'll be right here."

"Okay, thanks," Maya said, smiling gently. She tugged Emily's sleeve, and linked her arm through hers. Emily looked slightly disconcerted for a moment, and bounded away with Maya down the remaining steps. They disappeared past a trophy case into an alcove hidden from Morgan's view.

Ding.

Morgan looked down at his phone to see a text from Prentiss.

Any new developments with Emily?

Morgan looked up and listened for a moment. The flood of giggling he had been hearing had disappeared. It was completely silent.

I don't think so. How are things going with Spencer? He typed quickly. He shut off his phone and took a few steps. He still couldn't hear anything. Sighing, he began to walk around the corner just as Emily popped out. Her cheeks were slightly rosy, and she was laughing again.

"Oh," Emily said as soon as she met Morgan's gaze.

Morgan smiled slightly. "I didn't hear anything so I wondered if everything was okay-"

"You mean, you wondered if Maya is a murderer? Don't worry, Agent Morgan, I would never hurt Emily," Maya said, her voice going soft at the end. Her fingers brushed Emily's wrist slightly, something that Morgan didn't miss. He didn't give any visible signs that he had seen the exchange, trying to make Emily believe that he had missed it.

Morgan grinned. "Just doing my job," he said, making sure his voice was light and breezy. "Emily, don't you have practice in ten minutes?"

"Uh, right. I'll see you soon, Maya," Emily said, flicking a glance at her friend and heading to the locker room. Morgan watched her for a second, then turned to Maya, who hadn't budged.

"You should give her some space," Maya said, almost sharply. "She's feeling like her life is a public spectacle."

Morgan met Maya's eyes steadily. "I'm not here to make her feel that way."

"All I'm saying is that everyone needs space," Maya said, walking up the stairs. She paused. "So you think the person who killed Alison is after Emily?" Her voice was tinged with worry.

"We don't know yet," Morgan said truthfully. Maya nodded and looked away. "See ya later, Agent Morgan."

"Bye, Maya."

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

Hotch sat at the kitchen island, sitting on a stool. Hanna and her boyfriend, Sean, were sitting at the table working on homework. Hotch had tried to ignore them and focus on his case files, but Hanna's incessant giggling and the constant flipping of textbook pages was rendering him distracted.

"What's the square root of 6x4y over 2xy?" Sean asked, his eyes warming as he looked at Hanna, who was concentrating on her math homework. Her lips had pursed into an unhappy frown.

"3x2y?"

"Nope."

Hanna threw her pencil down. "At this rate I'm never going to pass the damn test," she moaned, running her hands through her hair.

"Hanna, you'll be fine. Just concentrate," Sean said gently, rubbing her shoulder. Hotch watched them out of the corner of his eye. They reminded him of his high school romance with Haley.

"I can't do this. I'm grabbing a soda," Hanna said, frustration sending a tremor into her voice. Hotch looked up as she walked past him and grabbed a bottle of orange soda.

"Want any?" Hanna inquired, glancing at her boyfriend. Hotch scanned the case file on Alison again.

"Sure."

Hotch flipped the pictures of the crime scene, examining the picture of Alison's half buried body. He held it up slightly, peering at the mostly decomposed corpse.

Crash. Sticky liquid splashed Hotch's dress pants, and he whirled around. Hanna's glass had fallen to the floor, and the orange soda had splattered across the room. Hanna's face was frozen in the image of horror, her eyes locked on the picture of Alison's corpse. Hotch immediately set it down, trying to hide it from view by closing the file.

"Hanna?" Sean asked, standing up, his eyebrows furrowed in an expression of concern.

All of the color had drained from Hanna's face, and she was slowly turning gray. She turned away and bolted, her hand clenched over her mouth. Hotch and Sean raced after her, skidding to a stop in front of a closed bathroom door. Sean went in, and Hotch saw Hanna bend over the toilet, vomiting violently.

Hotch sighed, backing away a few steps and waiting. He would have to apologize, and instead review the case file from the safety of his bedroom. Hotch shook his head, attempting to clear it, and listened. The sound of retching had faded away, but now it had been replaced by quiet sobs.

"Hanna, hey, hey, I'll be right back. Do you want some sweatpants? Okay," Sean said softly. The door to the bathroom creaked open, and Sean walked out, his shoulders stiff and tense. Hotch looked up to see the young man standing uncomfortably close next to him, his light blue eyes sparkling with anger.

"I don't know why you Feds are here, or why you're watching my girlfriend, but don't give me any more protection crap. She doesn't need you giving her reminders of her dead best friend," Sean snarled softly. Hotch stared at him evenly.

"Sean, I didn't mean to-"

"I don't care, Agent. Watch your back."

Hotch's eyebrows raised slightly, showing surprise, an emotion he rarely felt. "You'll want to watch your wording, Sean."

"No. You'll want to watch your actions. Because if you do anything else to hurt Hanna, you'll be flying back to DC without all of your limbs," Sean said angrily, storming off upstairs. Hotch stood there, choosing to ignore Sean's outburst. The toilet flushed and he could hear Hanna brushing her teeth. Sean came back around the bend, pointedly ignored Hotch's gaze, and went into the bathroom carrying pearly pink sweatpants and soft white tee.

A few minutes later, Hotch was still standing in the same position. For the first time in a while, he wasn't entirely sure what he should do. JJ, Emily, and Rossi usually dealt with grieving friends and families, and even then, fiery teenage girls typically weren't involved.

Slowly, the door creaked open, and Hotch looked up to see Hanna timidly step out of the bathroom. Her color still hadn't returned to her face, and her eyes were bleary and blood shot.

Hotch opened his mouth as Hanna looked at him, but she quickly looked away.

"Hanna, I'm sorry," Hotch said, his voice sincere and soft. Hanna just shook her head.

"It's fine," she said listlessly.

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have been looking at the case file while you were there."

Hanna met Hotch's gaze. "You're just trying to find who killed her. I can't blame you for that."

Hotch felt a wave of sympathy as he looked at the grief-stricken girl.

"I'll be more careful," Hotch promised quietly. His gaze locked with Hanna's, and he didn't break eye contact. She nodded.

"Hanna, I've got to go. I'll call you as soon as I get home. I'll grab my stuff," Sean said softly, kissing her cheek. She smiled half heartedly, and followed Sean as he went to grab his backpack.

Hotch walked back to the kitchen, grabbed a few paper towels, and began cleaning up the orange soda, his mind spinning in a turmoil as he did so. Hotch heard the front door close, and went back to his task.

"Dammit," Hotch swore as glass sliced through his thumb.

"Are you okay?" The grim agent looked up to see Hanna looking down at him. "Do you need a towel or something?"

Hotch glanced down at his hand. Blood was flowing over his palm, paving a river of blood. "Yes, thank you."

Hanna grabbed a white dishtowel and handed it to Hotch. The blood immediately stained the towel, soaking the milky white fabric a deep vermillion, like a flower blooming in winter.

Ding.

Hanna's hand, which had been reaching toward a shard of glass, froze and withdrew rapidly. She fumbled on the table and grabbed her phone. Hotch pressed the towel on his cut, and began to feel the blood flow stop. Hotch glanced up at Hanna when he heard her inhale sharply.

"Everything all right?" Hotch asked. He stood up, looking at Hanna's phone. He couldn't make out the text.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Hanna said, her voice tight with tension. Her hands shook slightly as she stared at her phone.

Careful, Hanna. Glass isn't the only thing that cuts. - A

"Are you sure?"

Hanna looked up to see the serious agent with keen, dark brown eyes and a confident stance staring at her.

"Yeah, it's nothing," Hanna said, but her voice shook. She briefly considered telling the agent, but if she did, she would reveal all the dirt she and her friends had to keep hidden.

Hotch kept looking at her. "Alright."

Hanna smiled slightly, and put her phone back on the table. She bent down to the ground, picking up shards of glass. Suddenly, a bead of blood trickled down her finger, like a stream after a storm, winding down her palm until it hit the floor with a soft splat, making a bright red dot. A's words echoed in Hanna's head, overwhelming her senses. Another drop of blood fell to the ground. It was mesmerizing. Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

Aria walked up the stairs, a heavy yawn escaping her lips as she reached the top. Rossi had gone up just ten minutes before. She had to finish her chemistry homework, and it had taken longer than she had expected. Her parents were still out on their date. Given that Aria practically had a babysitter now that Rossi was here, her father had taken all opportunities to flatter her mother with attention. To make up for what he had done. Even though her mother didn't know, and wouldn't know.

Aria turned into her room, and shut the door. She tore off her clothes and threw on pajamas, tossing her hair up into a messy bun.

Buzz.

Aria looked down at her phone, which was vibrating on her dresser. She frowned, grabbing it.

Cats are my favorite. Lions, tigers, and bitches, oh my. -A.

Aria froze. She began to hyperventilate as she looked in the mirror, at her pajamas. They were covered in tiny tigers. It couldn't be a coincidence.

Buzz.

Ready or not, here I come. -A.

Aria's hands began to shake. She looked around her room, her heart thumping wildly.

Crack.

Aria jumped. A picture frame fell to the ground, and glass splintered over the floor. She bent down, turning over the frame.

Buzz.

Aria dropped the frame back down to the ground, straightening up immediately. With trembling fingers, she slid open her phone.

Now you see me, now you don't. Where am I, Aria? -A

Attached was a picture. Aria's vision blurred in terror as she realized that A was in her rushed to the door, rapidly turning the doorknob. It was locked. She opened her mouth to scream. But suddenly, a hand was clamped over her mouth.

Aria kicked out wildly as her hands clawed at her captor. A knife glinted in her peripheral vision. Aria screamed, but no sound came out. Her feet stepped in the glass, and her eyes watered in pain.

A sharp, shooting pain erupted in her leg. The knife stabbed down again and again, and Aria's vision blurred from tears and from pain. Suddenly, she was dropped down to the ground, in the glass. Her hands clutched her leg as blood streamed down from it. The hand was gone from her mouth, and Aria finally found her voice back.

"R-Rossi!" She screamed, trying to get to the door. "Rossi!" Her screams slipped into sobs.

Bang. Rossi burst into the room, Mike coming in right behind him.

"Holy crap," Mike said, his eyes wide.

"Call 911," Rossi said, sounding panicked. He rushed to Aria's side, glancing around the room as he did so.

Aria was slowly losing consciousness, struggling to keep her head up.

Aria looked wildly around the room, but A had disappeared. Her breathing was fast and shallow, terror still coursing through her veins. Aria sensed Rossi next to her, and she was slipping out of consciousness. She slumped against Rossi, a sudden chill flooding over her.

"Aria, stay with me. You're safe now. You're safe," Rossi said, trying to stay calm. He looked around the room again. No one was here. The only thing in his vicinity was her phone, which was covered in blood.

Rossi looked back down at Aria. He was supporting her with his right arm, and her head slumped against his chest. She was unconscious. He pressed his left hand against her leg, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Mike, call your parents. You need to let them know. Once the paramedics get here, I'll make sure that they get a squad car on the scene to search your house and backyard. You're coming with Aria and I, you're not staying here alone," Rossi said, thinking rationally.

"Is- is she gonna be okay?" Mike stammered, looking at his sister.

"Don't worry about her right now. She'll be fine. Call your parents," Rossi repeated.

As Mike dialed, sirens wailed in the distance. Rossi exhaled a sigh of relief. In a matter of seconds, he could hear paramedics racing up the stairs.

"In here," Rossi called. Suddenly, a short man with jet black hair, dark green eyes, an clock shadow appeared, rounding the corner into Aria's room. A blond woman with a few gray hairs and pale, pasty skin was with him.

"What happened here?" The man asked, his voice low and gravelly.

"She's got three small deep wounds to the thigh. She passed out from fear and pain," Rossi briefed them, handing Aria over. He stood up as the paramedics checked her vitals and bandaged her leg.

"Okay, we're gonna take her to the hospital, all right?" The woman asked. Her voice dragged in a southern drawl. "She'll be fine. Are you her father?"

"No, I'm SSA Rossi with the FBI. I was assigned for her protection," Rossi said, bleakly realizing that he had failed to keep Aria safe. He showed her his badge.

"You did a great job," the blonde drawled, smirking.

"Helen, get her onto the stretcher," the man snapped. Counting to three, they rolled Aria onto a stretcher and began to roll her out of the room.

The paramedics carefully wheeled Aria down the stairs, with Rossi and Mike following closely behind.

"Mike, are your parents going to the hospital?" Rossi asked, pulling out his phone.

"Yeah," Mike said. Rossi could hear a tremor in his voice. Nodding, Rossi quickly speed dialed Hotch.

"Dave? What's wrong?" Hotch asked, sounding slightly groggy.

"Aria got stabbed in her room. We're going to the hospital. It's not life threatening."

"I'll meet you there. I'll send Morgan and Reid over to the house, and JJ to the hospital," Hotch said quickly, suddenly wide awake. Rossi ended the call, and hopped into the ambulance, casting one last glance at the house that now looked dark and ominous.

 **Leave any and all opinions in a review (be kind, though!). I can't wait for the next chapter. Mwahahahahaha!**


	4. AriA

**Hi guys! I'm so so so so sorry that this is so late! Summer schoolwork has kinda taken over my life and I needed a break from writing. R &R? **

"What's going on?" Spencer asked groggily. Her shoulder was being shaken gently.

"You need to get up, Spencer. We're going to the hospital."

"What?" Spencer was wide awake now. She blinked and squinted, vaguely making out an outline of Prentiss standing right by her bed.

"I'll tell you on the way, we have to go," Prentiss said, her voice tinged with distress.

Spencer stood up shakily, stumbling over to her closet and tossing on a sweater and boots over her pajamas. She grabbed her phone at the last moment, shoving it into her pocket.

"Okay, let's go," Prentiss commanded. Spencer glared at her through the gloom, and followed her down the stairs. Spencer saw her parents waiting in the living room with their coats on, their faces tense with worry.

"What's going on?" Spencer asked again, stumbling out the door.

"Aria's in the hospital," Mrs. Hastings said bluntly, hopping in the backseat with Spencer while Prentiss took the wheel.

"What?!" Spencer exclaimed, swiveling to face her mother. "What happened?!"

"I'm not sure, Spencer," Mrs. Hastings sighed.

Ding.

Spencer pulled out her phone, and her heart stopped when she read the text.

You're next. -A

Spencer slammed her phone shut, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum beating the song of a sacrifice.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"Dave," Hotch said, breezing into the waiting room. Ella and Mike were sitting, and Byron was pacing back and forth. Rossi was standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at the clock. Only Hotch could tell that Rossi was worried. "How is she?"

"Aria's with the doctors right now getting stitches. She'll be fine," Rossi said. He shook his head and looked down at the ground.

"What happened?" Hotch asked quietly. He had picked up Emily from Morgan on the way here, and Hanna and Emily were talking behind him, worry painted all over their faces.

"I was just walking out of the bathroom when I heard Aria's screams. I ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. Mike came out of his room right when I was trying to get it open," Rossi said, closing his eyes. "I should have gotten there earlier."

"Why couldn't you open it?" Hotch inquired, watching Rossi intently.

"It was locked. From the inside," Rossi murmured, looking confused. "I bust the door down and she was on the ground. A picture frame was broken, and her phone was on the ground."

"Anything else?"

Rossi paused. "Her closet door was open."

"Could she have opened it?"

"Yes, but it would explain how she was surprised."

A door opened and a young male doctor came out, looking optimistic. "Family of Aria Montgomery?"

Hotch and Rossi joined the Montgomery family as they gathered around the doctor. Rossi was watching the young man intently, twisting the ring on his hand.

"I'm Doctor Olinburgh. First and foremost, Aria is going to be perfectly fine. She had three stab wounds to her thigh, but they completely missed any major arteries. She just needed a few stitches, and she was fine. She can go home now, or stay overnight for evaluation, whichever you prefer," Doctor Olinburgh said calmly, folding his arms.

"Thank God," Byron murmured.

"Are we able to talk to her?" Hotch inquired, flicking a glance at the parents.

"Yes. She's most likely still awake, though she was a bit drowsy the last time I checked on her," Doctor Olinburgh informed Hotch.

"Is that all right with you?" Hotch asked Aria's parents.

"We need to talk to you, agents," Ella said coldly.

"Mrs. Montgomery, I'm sorry. There's not much more I can say. But I'm truly sorry," Rossi said, his voice unusually quiet. Ella studied him for a moment.

"I'll discuss this with you later, Agent Rossi. You can go in to speak with Aria after we do," Ella said warningly, silently telling them not to push it. Rossi nodded, looking Ella in the eye.

Ella and Byron followed the doctor down the slightly dingy hall. Hotch turned to Rossi, his intense gaze serious. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a slender brunette with a panicked expression raced into the waiting room.

"Where's Aria?" Spencer asked, her expression frazzled, mascara smeared under her eyes. Hanna and Emily rushed over to her.

"Spence, calm down, she's going to be okay," Hanna reassured Spencer. However, her voice was strained and tense.

Spencer shook her head, and lowered her voice. Hotch and Rossi strained to hear them, but they could just pick out snippets of what they were saying.

"I got a text," Spencer said, her cheeks pale and gaunt. Emily said something, but the agents couldn't hear anything.

"She isn't the first," Hanna said softly, looking at Spencer with horror in her eyes. Spencer whispered something back, and Emily and Hanna's eyes widened.

"What do you think they're saying?" Rossi asked curiously. Hotch just shook his head.

"You're free to go in," Ella said briskly, as the Montgomery family breezed past the agents. As Hotch and Rossi prepped to go in, Prentiss appeared around the corner, along with the other parents, who looked sleep deprived, irritated, and worried.

"Prentiss," Hotch called. "Can you go in with Rossi and I? It would be best to have a female agent in the room. We don't know the gender of Aria's attacker."

"Sure," Prentiss replied, glancing back at the families huddled in the waiting room.

As the agents walked down the hall lighted by flickering fluorescent lights, Rossi tried to figure out what to say to Aria. His first full day on the job, and she had gotten stabbed.

They reached a slightly open door, and the agents slowed down to look in it. They could see Aria huddled on the bed, her hands trembling. Hotch knocked softly on the door. Aria jumped, her eyes wide with fear as she scooted back in her bed.

"Can we come in?" Hotch asked, looking at the girl with sympathy. Aria nodded.

"How are you feeling?" Rossi asked gently, setting into a chair next to Aria's bed. Hotch sat down on the other side of her bed, and Prentiss leaned against the wall directly in front of Aria.

"Fine," Aria whispered.

"What can you remember from the attack?" Prentiss inquired, watching Aria's expression change.

Aria froze. She looked down at her hands. She had expected them to ask her about it, but she didn't think that they would immediately plunge into the icy waters of the attack.

"You need to tell us everything," Hotch cautioned.

"I walked into my room and closed the door," Aria started, her voice barely above a whisper. She seemed detached, like she was mentally removing herself from the hospital room she was in and the fresh, raw memory of the attack. "And..." Aria paused. She couldn't tell them about the texts. If they knew about the Jenna thing, her life would go up in smoke. "I heard the closet door open and then someone was behind me and there was a knife and they stabbed me. There was a struggle... And then they were gone. I don't know where they went," Aria finished.

"All right. That's enough for now," Rossi said gently.

"Can I go home now?" Aria asked listlessly. Prentiss and Hotch shared a quick glance.

"Of course. I think your friends want to see you first," Prentiss said carefully, beginning to leave. Hotch and Rossi followed her, leaving Aria alone. As they exited the room, the rest of the girls rounded the corner. Hanna led the pack, her irritated stride sending waves of annoyance.

"Are you all done with her?" Hanna snapped. Large purple circles under her eyes added to her image, but upon further inspection, the agents could see the blank and undiluted fear in her eyes.

"Yes, you're free to see her," Hotch responded. Hanna avoided his glance and brushed past him. Emily and Spencer followed more politely, but there was an aura of apprehension surrounding the girls.

Rossi turned to Hotch and Prentiss. "Should we meet at one house? It would be wiser to not be spread apart."

Prentiss's eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe not. We could be a sitting duck. The unsub that attacked Aria might come back."

"Why didn't he kill her? He had the ability to," Rossi asked quietly.

"Because he wanted to send a message," Hotch replied, his tone serious. "We should continue like normal. If we stray from the girls' set patterns, it could force the unsub into hiding."

"So not do anything?" Rossi asked, sounding bellicose.

"Dave, it's our best option. We'll get Garcia to look into each and every resident of Rosewood, looking for any leads. But for now, we have to act as normal as possible and keep a close eye on the girls. Something is going on here."

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

"She's going to be okay, Emily. If you need anything, I'm here," Maya said reassuringly. Her smooth, velvet voice send a tingle up Emily's spine.

"Thanks, Maya. I'll talk to you at school tomorrow," Emily said, smiling as she hung up. Someone knocked on her bedroom door, and she jumped as she shoved the phone across the bed. "Come in," she called.

Morgan entered the room slowly. "Hey," he said, closing the door. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Emily asked defensively.

"Your close friend got stabbed in her own home. I would be a little freaked out."

Emily sighed. "I'm fine, Agent Morgan."

"Derek."

Emily glanced at him. "Derek."

"You've got school tomorrow, so you should get some rest. I'll be just outside in the other room if you need me," Morgan said quietly.

"Thanks," Emily responded. The door closed as Morgan left, and she flopped back on her bed, turning off the light. But she couldn't sleep. Every creak in the hallway, every leaf that fell outside, kept her awake.

CMPLLCMPLLCMPLL

Hanna walked down the stairs, her heels clacking as she haphazardly checked her purse for her lipgloss. She smirked as she found it, and opened the tube, revealing the dark plum hue.

"Hanna, I made eggs for you and Agent Hotchner. There's bacon too," Ms. Marin said quickly. Hanna looked up to see her mother shoving her phone in her purse as she raced out the door. "I've got a client meeting me at eight thirty."

"We don't eat breakfast," Hanna said, sounding confused.

"We do when we have guests, Hanna. Don't get into trouble." And with that, the door to the house closed as Ms. Marin left. Hanna rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen. Hotch was sitting at the island, sipping coffee as he looked over a case file.

Hanna glanced away from the file, which was probably Alison's, and grabbed a piece of toast.

"Good morning," Hotch said, looking up at Hanna as he drank his coffee.

"Morning," Hanna replied coldly. She poured orange juice into her glass and checked her phone.

"I'll give you a ride to school, if that's alright. It's on the way to the police station, and I need to meet up with Agents Reid and Jareau."

"Okay," Hanna responded despondently, barely hearing Hotch. He said exhaled silently and stood up, putting on his jacket.

"I'll be in the car when you're ready."

Hanna watched the agent stalk away. She scarfed down the rest of her toast and followed Hotch, feeling eyes watching her the whole way out the door.


End file.
